1. Ceilings – I suggest using mostly acoustic grid ceilings in the hallway and dental or doctor’s treatment rooms, and a nice painted set ceiling in the reception and waiting area. This is a cost-effective compromise.

2. Choose the right equipment early – There are many choices for quality dental equipment in Sydney. We are familiar with most brands including Sirona, A-Dec, Belmont, Cattani and others and receive good feedback from our dentists on most of them. The surgery fitout needs to be set up for your specific dental equipment. The plumbing connections, mounts and electrical fittings all need to be installed in the right part of the treatment room or OPG room at the beginning of the fitout.

3. Flooring – Worth spending a little bit more for a high-quality floor in your surgery. Find a quality product that can be replaced in strips later if damaged. And check the slip rating. It should be R9 or R10.

4. Joinery – We have designed our custom dental and medical joinery using 30 years’ of experience. Always use a specialised dental or medical joinery provider to ensure quality and ergonomics in the treatment room.

5. Read the Scope of Works carefully – In most cases we have many many conversations about different ideas with our dentist, doctor or practice manager clients. All these ideas eventually get sifted and sorted and we end up with a Scope of Works for the project. You need to read it carefully to understand the final version of what’s in and what’s out.

6. Make sure your builder stays on schedule – Time is money. If your project runs late it will cost you money up front and also in the future. Make sure your dental fitout company sticks to the timeframe and help them to do so by being available and organised with your decisions and selection.